Traditional Storage Unit or Air Cooled, What’s Right for Me?

Air cooled storage units allow you to keep your items protected from the drastic changes of outside elements. Swamp coolers typically maintain a lower temperature in these kinds of units. They are better than a traditional non-climate controlled unit. That does mean they cost a little more per month than a traditional storage unit.

Air Cooled Storage Available

It’s always best to speak to a storage professional to discuss what items you are storing so you can determine if an air cooled unit or a traditional storage unit is best for your storing needs. Also, discuss with them the ways to store and protect your items with the moving supplies they sell. Taking extra precautions with HOW YOU STORE can be just as important as WHAT UNIT YOU USE TO STORE.

However, before doing that, make a list of the items you are going to be storing. Check out the items listed below. If you need to store items like those, then an air cooled unit is probably your best option. If keeping your items safe and in good condition is important to you, make sure and consider this point.

Typical storage items requiring air cooling:

Media / Entertainment and Electronic Equipment

Storing any kind of media or entertainment, consisting of DVDs, Blu-rays, CDs, photographs, video games, vinyl records, or cassettes? Then an air cooled storage unit can help protect your collections. Along with these types of media and entertainment; if you are storing the devices that play these then again, an air cooled unit is your best option. This includes cd players, DVD players, video game systems, VCRs, record players, and even laptops and computers. Also, make sure to read up on how to store these electronic devices for safe storage. Air cooling may not be the only element you need to take into consideration.

Collectibles of ANY type

Whether your collection is Beanie Babies, baseball cards, comic books, vintage collectibles, artwork, or even bottles of wine; collectible items should be stored in air cooled storage. This type of unit provides your valuables an atmosphere stable enough to maintain the condition of the items. Drastic temperature changes or the intrusion of outside elements can cause damage. Always make sure that you are still taking extra precautions when storing your prized collection.

Clothing New or Old

You CAN store clothing in a traditional self-storage unit. However, if you want to help these clothes look, feel, and fit the same way they did before you stored them, then an air cooled storage unit is your best option. This is especially important for any types of furs and any delicate pieces of clothing such as linens or wedding attire. Air cooled units maintain an atmosphere with little dryness caused by heat, which can damage the fabrics of your clothing, causing them to be brittle.

Antiques or ANY Wooden Furniture

Leaving antiques and/or wooden furniture exposed to the elements can cause serious damage to its structure. The humidity and severe temperature fluctuations can warp and degrade even the most well-constructed, well-maintained pieces of antiques or wooden furniture. Whether it’s a family heirloom piano or your grandmother’s dresser, antiques and all wooden furniture should be stored in storage units where the climate is maintained to some degree.

Leather and Cloth Furniture

We’ve mentioned antiques and wooden furniture needing air cooling, but it’s just as important to store any type of leather or cloth furniture in a controlled environment too. Leather is sensitive to extreme heat and cold, and can shrink, warp, dry up and thin out when placed in traditional storage. PLUS, make sure you are properly storing these items by using blankets and shrink wrapping to control mold or mildew and protecting from scratches or dents.

Important Personal or Business Paperwork

Tax filings, important letters, business documents, or files and paperwork should be carefully stored in an air cooled storage unit. If these items are not protected, they could degrade with extreme conditions and become illegible or hard to decipher. A proper storage technique for important documents is key to keeping these items from damage and loss.

So, SHOULD You Store in an Air Cooled Storage Unit?

If you are storing any of the items listed above, then YES, an air cooled storage unit is your best bet at protecting these items. Don’t risk damage or loss of your items by using a traditional non-climate controlled unit.

Are Air Cooled Storage Units Worth the Added Price?

Spending a little extra on an air cooled unit is a no-brainer. Why go through all the hassle of moving your stuff if you aren’t going to take care of those items. Taking advantage of a cooler atmosphere with less harsh humidity, no drastic heat or cold temperatures, and less opportunities for mold or mildew, gives you a leg up on maintaining the condition of the items that mean most to you. The price difference between traditional storage units compared to air cooled units is usually not that drastic, and spending that little extra will give you the peace of mind that your items are safe in an environment made to protect your prized possessions.